Mears Jr to race for Rahal at Fontana

The 22-year-old Indy Lights driver was promised a chance to test one of the Rahal cars this season and drove the team's test car at the Fontana Superspeedway last month.

"He certainly proved he is at home in a Champ Car during the test," said team boss Bobby Rahal. "Through his own dedication and hard work he has assembled the necessary resources for a ride in our test car at Fontana."

With Champ Car racer Roger Mears as a father and Indycar legend and three-time champ Rick Mears as an uncle, Casey comes from a staunch racing family. He will make history at Fontana as the first driver to compete in a Champ Car race and an Indy Lights event on the same day.

The Californian has been an Indy Lights frontrunner this season and goes into the season finale at Fontana third in the standings just five points behind leader Scott Dixon.

"When Bobby promised me the opportunity to test a team Rahal car during the 2000 season, I was thrilled," said Mears. "But honestly it just fuelled my desire to race a Champ Car even more."

The extra car will be run by the Rahal test team and will not interfere with team regulars Kenny Brack and Max Papis. Brack is still in with an outside chance of taking the title and lies equal third with Team Green's Paul Tracy, 19 points behind leader Gil de Ferran.